Chương 94: Surprised By His Beauty

"Where have you two been?" Albert looked almost frantic as she and Ilyana rushed down the steps to get to their seats at the front row.

"It's a long story," Tori said as they scooted past him.

"I'll explain after the entrance ceremony."

"Did we miss anything?" Ilyana asked, reaching for Sonia's banner.

"The host school just marched out. Lycée hosted last year, so they'll come out later," Albert said. Ilyana let out a breath of relief. She and Tori unraveled Sonia's banner and prepared to lift it up when Lycée passed. Albert and Ewan did the same with JP's. Tori then passed her corner of the banner to Nanny Rey and picked up a square, hunter green cloth. The term 'bandana' wasn't really used in Soleil, but Ilyana called them 'kerchiefs', so that's what Tori went with.

She stood up and turned around to direct their section.

"Lycée du Soleil, ready kerchiefs!" She called out as she raised one arm and twirled the cloth in the air. She got the group's attention and she watched them move to pick up their kerchiefs. Once they were all holding them, Tori pinched the top corners of hers to show them how to hold it. She then lowered it and sat back down to wait for her school to parade out.

Lycée du Soleil's banners appeared at the entrance to the stadium and as soon as their bannermen and women stepped on to the track, Tori stood up and turned around. She lifted her arms and the rows of people behind her stood up. She then lifted her kerchief up over her head and the rows turned into a wall of green and gold.

"Lycée du Soleil on the count of three!" Tori shouted. She looked over her shoulder, waiting for their school's entourage to reach them. When they were close enough, she screamed into the crowd.

"One! Two! Three!" A wall of voices shouted out the name of the school at once, filling their section of the stadium. It caught the attention of their equestrians and faculty, who turned towards them and waved. Tori continued to conduct the cheering, barking orders and using hand signals. The spectators who joined for the first time easily picked up the patterns.

Although the rhythm wasn't perfect and some people were slower or faster than there rest, the effect of an entire section cheering as one and using colored kerchiefs to make patterns and waves was enough to have the other schools look on in envy. As both she and Ilyana expected, other schools had also made banners that year. But no one else had an entire block of the stadium organized as they did.

"Do you think others will copy it next year?" Albert asked as they sat down once their school had exited the stadium. Tori let out a little snort.

"They can try." She lowered her hands and their group returned to their seats excited. She narrowed her eyes.

"I think we have some interest after this. We may be able to get a fixed group for cheering at events. If so, we can practice more elaborate waves and patterns."

"I can almost taste the envy of the other schools," Ilyana said as she sat up straight and almost smirked. Tori chuckled and returned to her seat. They began to spread out the food Albert and Ewan brought. Nanny Rey gave Tori something to drink, as she had been yelling and giving orders.

"So, why are you two so late?" Ewan asked, leaning back.

"You almost missed our entrance." Ilyana shrank back in her seat and avoided their eyes as her cheeks reddened. Tori let out a heavy sigh and explained to them what happened.

"The only thing we could do was try to buy tickets from someone to get back in," Tori said.

"The first few people weren't interested in selling, but we found a couple who came from Nord willing to sell, as their friend isn't participating in today's events, but will be for the next two days."

"How much did it cost you?" Albert asked, already cringing.

"A pair of H2 coats from Lions Gate," Tori said. It was a small price to pay to get back to the stadium on time. Albert seemed to think for a moment, as if calculating the cost. Each coat cost about three times the amount of a single ticket. And that was if they bought the tickets far in advance or through their school, which was slightly cheaper than buying at the stadium in the week leading up to the event.

"The point is you were able to return on time," he said, with a final nod of his head. Tori nodded in agreement. The group continued to eat and drink the snacks they bought. They only paused when one of Lycée's equestrians were taking the field. JP and Sonia trotted out in accordance with their year rank and upon their appearance, the stadium erupted with voices. Albert looked taken aback as he and Ewan waved JP's banner.

"They're more popular than I thought!"

"They ranked as the highest first years last year," Ewan said.

"Everyone expects a lot out of them!"

"I'm starting to get nervous for them," Ilyana said.

"I know they'll do well, but I can't help it!" Tori felt the same way. They all seemed to hold their breaths and sit up, tense, as they watched the twins go through their routine like mirrors of each other. It was almost entrancing and once they completed their performance, it took a second or two for Tori to refocus and stand up. She immediately signaled for their section to cheer, and it started the same wave of yelling across the stadium.

Albert and Ewan kept a close eye on the scores and when it was announced, they nearly dropped JP's banner in excitement. JP and Sonia were ranked first. Perhaps it was her own bias towards her friends, but Tori didn't think anyone who came after them did as good of a job. Two more pairs from two different schools managed to score a little higher, but not by much.

"Miss James' performance was quite good, as well," Ilyana said as they left after the first day.

"Not as good as JP and Sonia's, though."

"She's pretty," Albert sighed.

"Sonia's lucky. If it were me, I would've agreed at once." His shoulders fell.

"No one ever gives me a love letter."

"Sonia and JP have many admirers because they stand out as equestrians. Look at the amount of people who were watching them today," Tori said.

"I'm sure they'll only get more attention after this," Ilyana agreed with a nod.

"Ewan's quite popular, too, thanks to the Sword Association," Tori said.

"People like energetic individuals." Ewan puffed out his chest with pride and beamed.

"Have you considered joining a club and getting to know more people?" Ilyana asked.

"But you haven't joined a club and you're always receiving letters." Albert looked almost defeated.

"Albert," Tori said in a knowing voice." Look at her. She's not just beautiful, but she's very smart and generous. Our entire second year knows her for her study sessions and all the first years know her from the tours. Everyone thinks very highly of her." Ilyana flushed and hugged Tori's arm. Ewan snickered as Albert groaned.

"I think I will take up His Highness' offer to be an aide," Albert said.

"That will get me more exposure right?"

"Yes, but you'd be standing next to His Highness Prince Piers the entire time," Ewan reminded him.

"Not to compare... but people will compare...." Albert shot him an annoyed look.

"You don't have to put it like that. I know I'm nowhere near as attractive as His Highness."

"Having the favor of a prince isn't a bad thing, though," Tori said as they stood on the curb and waited for an empty carriage to wave down and take them back to Lycée.

"Diligent people are attractive in their own way."

"Didn't you say that you didn't know what you wanted to do after you graduated?" Ilyana asked.

"You can take up a personal aide training and position. I can see you in such a position."

"You actually do handle stress quite well and are a quick thinker," Tori told him.

"You're reliable and well-rounded. You fit in very easily in the social circles Piers needs to go through. You are his top pick, you know." Albert furrowed his brow, but seemed a bit satisfied with the praise.

"I suppose I can give it a try...."

"He'll need someone over the summer since Axton will be back at the border for training. It may be worth it to try to start working with him," Tori said.

"I'll get in touch with Chamberlain Thorpson to onboard you."

"Where did Master and His Highness go?" Ewan said.

"He didn't say much, only that he'd be doing some work the next few weeks." Tori let out a little hum and measured her words.

"My brother needed help with arranging something and brought the two of them with him. They're his juniors, so he likes to take advantage of them." That wasn't a lie, as her brother certainly took advantage of Piers and Axton to take care of her.

"He said he'll call when he's done. I'm sure it won't take long." She didn't have time to worry about her brother, Axton, and Piers with how busy she was. Perhaps it was for the best. She didn't want her thoughts to question the difficulty of her brother's 'work' if he needed both Axton and Piers to assist him. Tori doubted it would be something too dangerous. Kasen wouldn't make the first prince of Soleil help him if that was the case.

Tori deduced that Piers was needed to get information that was only accessible to someone of his rank. At least, that's what she hoped. Axton had fought in battles and Kasen had participated in skirmishes. She had confidence in them. However, a small part of her couldn't help but worry. If it was a trivial matter, Kasen would've likely told her. Tori took a deep breath to calm herself.

Almost immediately after the competition ended and the awards were handed out, with Sonia taking first place overall and JP ranked ninth when he only participated in two of the three competitions, she and the others who were heading to the delta went to grab their things at Lycée and take a carriage to Viclya. There were more knights escorting them, as Axton was with her brother. A handful of imperial knights familiar with Viclya were already assigned and had been at the delta a day earlier than they arrived.

The Emperor had interest in her little village and was keen on the event going smoothly. Viclya's Spring Festival event was invitation-only. There was a guest list that included the Prime Minister, his wife, two duchesses, and influential and familiar guests of Tori, Lions Gate, and several of the lords and Université instructors. There were only two people who were invited that were unable to make it: Duke Sinan and the Bishop of Karap.

The Duke was dealing with internal family problems and a major business relationship that went awry as a result of those family problems. The only reason Tori knew the details was she had a hand in instigating them, though not due to malice against the Duke. She was genuinely disappointed he couldn't make it. The Bishop of Karap had planned to go, but person who was supposed to oversee some of the Spring Festival events in his place fell ill.

The Bishop had to stay, but assured her that he would be coming at least once, for an extended stay, during the summer. With so many people invited, news of the event spread. She knew people were curious and Tori was concerned that uninvited guests would arrive. They didn't have the resources to deal with a massive influx of people, which was why the event was limited to a number of guests.

The Imperial Couple had agreed to assign imperial knights at the gate for added security and to ward off anyone who was not on the guest list. Although they had to work during the festival, the knights who came volunteered to do so.

"They have to sleep in tents, but their shifts are shorter, the food they get is better, and they seem to really enjoy the area," Ewan had told her on their way the night before. When knights were stationed outside, Tori made their shifts six hours with a thirty-minute break in between as opposed to eight hours with a fifteen-minute break. If they were not patrolling and instead assigned posts, their posts were covered and had stools. They were also provided with water and bread rolls during their shifts.

Their food was provided by one of the kitchens and they ate well. On their off time, they often went fishing, walked through the shoreline, went out on boats, or played cards and games in a recreational tent Tori had set up for workers. She also had it on good authority that a few knights were courting some villagers and workers. It wasn't unexpected, but Tori neither encouraged nor discouraged it. However, she and the others did pay attention to the gossip. After washing her face, Tori prepared for the event.

Unlike what she usually wore when she was in the delta: pants, a blouse, and a long vest, she put on a comfortable, off-the-shoulder cotton dress with loose, elbow length sleeves. It was in a sky-blue color and embroidered with cream-colored shells and waves around the hems. It reached her ankles, and she was able to show off the wooden sandals with leather straps. She had on a straw hat accented with shells and wore crystal jewelry.

Everything had been made by artisans in the village and was fitting for the warm spring weather. This particular ensemble was part of the Lions Gate Delta Collection, which focused on leisure and relaxation by the shore. They also had swimwear based on what she'd seen in Tres Arcos, but she wasn't about to wear swimming clothes the entire day. Nanny Rey pulled her hair back and made a puffy braid. Tori moved the end over her shoulder and walked out of her tent. It was still early and none of the guests had arrived.

The encampment was decorated with flower wreaths, which was a carryover from the original village the refugees had come from. The year before, there hadn't been much decoration, but families had begun cultivating flowerpots and gardens in communal areas the past year. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

The entire stone brick-lined road to the entrance of the encampment and to the promenade was lined with small, transplanted trees and a committee had been formed to take care of them. The gatehouse had been renovated and had a clay tiled roof. There were separate rooms for guards to rest, as well as a kitchenette.

Village patrols didn't have an official uniform, but they were all asked to wear dark pants with light colored shirts and were given a red vest embroidered with a white lion on its hind legs over their left side. It was very simple, but a good way to spot them. Tori walked down the wooden walkway that followed the stone brick road.

Once their guests reached the gatehouse and provided their invitations, they would head down the brick road, around the encampment, and to an oval shaped lot next to the main plaza to be dropped off. Carriages could be parked there for the day, allowing for easy access, and a temporary stable for the horses was built near the supply yard. It was important to keep the horses in a specific area, as the fireworks would spook them, and the stables had been prepared to deal with the noise.

Once she reached the main plaza, she noted that the fountain was finally working, and that Henrik's restaurant was getting ready to open and provide guests with beverages and snacks to welcome them. The small stores that also dotted the plaza were opening. This included the Lions Gate pop-up shop, where they'd reveal their spring and summer collection. Her friends were already up and huddled around a tent by the fountain, reviewing their respective positions.

All of them were wearing clothing from Lions Gate and Ilyana was in a lovely yellow and white version of the dress she was wearing, only it had a boat neck cut. The other four were wearing loose cotton pants, leather slip on shoes, buttoned up shirts, with faint embroidered lines and a pocket on each side. Tori had based the style on guayaberas, and had both long and short sleeve versions. They were also wearing the Panama hats she'd convinced some villagers to make and sell.

It took her some time to draw them out from memory and there were many failures when making prototypes until they got the specific style hats she'd tried to replicate in her drawing. However, she thought the hats coupled with the shirts looked very dashing on her friends, not to mention were good for warm weather. Tori was very satisfied with the vibe they gave out wearing them. She'd already set aside sets for Axton, Piers, her brothers, father, and grandfathers.

The shirts and hats themselves were already popular with the village men; or in many cases, many had wives and girlfriends who upon seeing the styles wanted their partners to wear them. Their popularity was a good sign.

"Well, don't you all look good this morning. Did you eat breakfast already?" Tori asked as she reached them. They looked up from the tables.

"Thanks, and yes. We ate," Henrik said. Ewan looked proud of himself and straightened out his shirt.

"To be honest, I'm still a bit nervous," Ilyana said with a weak smile.

"I barely ate."

"It's all right. If you get hungry, it's easy to pick up something to eat at the restaurant." Tori turned her head towards the restaurant. Henrik had yet to give it a name, so at the moment, there was no signage except 'restaurant'.

"Now that we're all here, let's review today's agenda." Henrik had double duty. His main focus would be Lions Gate with assistance welcoming guests from Ilyana. He also would check in on his restaurant from time to time. However, there was a well-trained restaurant manager who could do the majority of the work.

Ilyana was to play the hostess for their VIP guests at the shop, including introducing them to the new clothing designs, the furniture from their home and housewares division, Den, and gently lead them towards the shops along the promenade that had locally made goods. Albert and Constantine were the welcoming committee and posted at the tent. They had maps, schedules, and could answer questions.

Ewan was to accompany Tori around as she took individual important guests around on two-hour long tours and scheduled investment meetings over coffee.

"The Prime Minister and Madam Guthry are my priority this morning. Closer to lunch, I'm scheduling in Duchess Fekete, and after lunch, Duchess Tetri. After Duchess Tetri, I have the merchant tour and then the general VIP tour," Tori said. The last two would have multiple people.

"We have whale watching in the morning and in the afternoon," Constantine said.

"Mr. Sima will accompany you for the shore and island portions of your personal tours." Tori nodded. She placed a small folder on the table.

"Don't forget to lay out the paintings of the kittens. If there are any interested parties, get their contact information and kitten preference. Also, where is Benedict?"

"Master Ramos was waiting here this morning for him," Ilyana said. She had been in charge of taking care of the short-haired gray tabby they were bringing from Lycée. Spring was kitten season and despite the students' best attempts to keep the campus pest controlling cat population under control, it was inevitable that two or three accidental litters would happen.

A group of students formed an unofficial club that typically took care of the campus cats, and Tori asked that art students paint the kittens so they could try to lure prospective owners for them. One of the cats that lived around the Sword Association's training grounds had a litter of six kittens, and Master Ramos decided to get one to keep him company on Anahata Island. Unfortunately for Instructor Ignatius, Master Ramos decided to name the kitten 'Benedict', as well, because "it's easier to remember".

"All right-" Tori's voice was cut off as she caught sight of her comcry glowing from her bag. She pulled it out and saw the words 'Viclya Gate House'.

"My lady, the first guests have arrived," a man's voice said.

"There is a line of carriages starting to form."

"Thank you, we will begin to welcome them," Tori said before ending the call. She gave everyone a nod. Henrik went to the restaurant, Ilyana went to the pop-up shop, and Ewan followed Tori as they left Albert and Constantine at the welcome tent. Ewan held a leather satchel with some of Tori's notes and Tori held up a locally embroidered parasol as they waited by the entrance of the promenade. In the center of the 'parking lot' was a walled and elevated garden of local wildflowers and some small trees.

When a carriage came down the road, they'd see the 'island' garden; the promenade with its new lamp posts, potted mosquito repelling plants, and wooden benches beneath shade providing pergolas; and just beyond them, the glistening water of the delta. The first carriage to roll up and stop in front of the entrance of the plaza, where Ewan and Tori were waiting, had the seal of Fekete Duchy, a black boar, on its door. The footman jumped down and quickly went to open the door.

A handsome, middle-aged man stepped out first, dressed in usual noble finery, and extended his hand to escort out Duchess Fekete. Tori lowered her head and bowed.

"Welcome to Viclya, Your Grace."

"Lady Guevera! It's good to see you again," Duchess Fekete was all smiles as she looked around with wide eyes.

"I heard rumors, but this is far more than I expected."

"As of the moment, this small promenade is all we have, but we are building more and more each day," Tori said as she stood up straight.

"Please follow me and I will take you to our welcome tent. You and your party are invited to take a rest at our restaurant first. We are providing complementary finger foods and beverages this morning, as we know you have traveled far."

"Such hospitality," Duchess Fekete said.

"Lady Guevera, this is my husband, Duke Gerard Fekete. And this is my son...." She turned around, but there was no one there. The corner of her eye twitched.

"One moment." She gave her husband a look and he nodded and turned around.

"Evzen, we have arrived," he said in a firm voice. Tori craned her neck and saw the carriage move as a thin boy, likely eleven or twelve, appeared and looked around with wary eyes. Duke Fekete turned back to Tori.

"Excuse him. This is our son, Evzen Fekete."

"Young Lord," Tori said, giving him a small, polite bow of her head.

"It's too warm here," the boy said, frowning.

"And it smells like salt." Tori crinkled her eyes and the Duchess' cheeks reddened a bit.

"My son isn't much for the outdoors."

"We have an indoor recreation area set up in the west plaza," Tori said, motioning to the other side of the parking area.

"It is showcasing the games and activities under our Lions Gate 'Duel' brand. There are single player, multiplayer, and team games to be tried if he is interested."

"Dear, I will take him," Duke Fekete told his wife. She gave him an approving nod. Along with their carriage was another one with two maids and some guards. Tori led the Duchess to the welcome tent and then encouraged her to rest after letting her know when her personal tour was. Tori then returned to the entrance, where Ewan was welcoming the Prime Minister and his wife.

"Prime Minister Guthry! Madam Guthry! Welcome to Viclya!" Tori bowed once more, but couldn't help but notice that Dimitri was not in attendance. She wasn't surprised.

"Lady Tori, thank you for inviting us," the Prime Minister said with an appreciative nod. Both he and his wife were looking around.

"We've only arrived and it's lovely here."

"This area is really our only semi-completed portion," Tori said, modestly.

"We have much more to do." As planned, she personally escorted the couple around after first allowing them to rest at the restaurant. Once the snacks and coffee had energized them, they walked up and down the promenade, Tori took them around the encampment, and then got on a sailboat that took them around the shore and to the islands. Tori had a few project leads with her to help answer any of the Prime Minister's questions. They returned to the promenade after sailing around Isle du Roi.

The foundation of the church had already been laid and the guild of Belcoy builders were working. The classic-styled facades of the other buildings were also starting to take shape. After the Prime Minister and his wife returned to the plaza, Tori took on her next tour. Each one was slightly different, tailored for the persons she was taking on the tour. Lunch was at one's leisure and before Tori went on her tour with Duchess Tetri, she stopped to check on everyone.

Albert and Constantine reported that the guests were enjoying themselves and had many questions. However, once they seemed to get their bearings, they wandered off to enjoy themselves. Many had stopped to sit on the promenade to take in the view and relax. Many more went up and down, checking out the shops that were open. The haberdashery and shoe store were particularly popular, and Tori saw more and more people wearing the locally made hats.

The jewelry store attached to Lions Gate specialized in custom made silver and gold pieces and crystal jewelry that kept one cool, calm, or energized. After making Tori's bracelet, Master Ramos became interested in crystal jewelry. Instructor Ignatius said that the old master was developing something new for her.

"I just put them on, and I already feel refreshed," a woman said as she admired her new ice calcite earrings.

"This will be very good to wear in the summer." Tori found Madam Guthry hunched over a display table, looking through the glass with a concentrated look.

"Madam Guthry, do you see anything you like?" she asked. The woman looked up and smiled warmly.

"There are many. I don't normally wear dark blues, but I can't help but look at the designs of these pendants," she said with a regretful sigh.

"The styles are a carryover from the villagers' former home on the border," Tori said.

"The lapis lazuli has been charged to help calm someone. It's particularly useful during exam periods. We've created a series of charms that can be attached to students' satchels and lanyards."

"Perhaps I should get one for Dimitri." Madam Guthry frowned.

"Recently, his headaches have been getting worse and worse." Tori furrowed her brows and cocked her head.

"Headaches?" Now that she thought about it, she often saw him rubbing his head. The older woman let out a low breath and seemed almost helpless.

"The doctors say he is fine. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly wrong. They assumed it was the stress of his project and Lycée." Tori drew her lips inward and bit them. Even if he was no longer in the top five, Dimitri was still ranked quite high. He didn't seem to be stressed at school, but if he was still trying to regain the top rank he'd entered with, she could understand his frustration. Tori also remembered that he told their classmates that his project was going very well; almost complete.

They hadn't even been working on their projects for two years. Madam Guthry looked both upset and at a loss as to what to do about her son.

"He hasn't been coming home as much, either. It seems he has his hands full." Tori didn't try to argue.

"Then, let me select a crystal charm for you both," Tori said. She wandered off and returned with a thumb-sized lapis lazuli disc. A few characters of Old Sulfae were carefully scraped on the face of the disc. One had a small latch that could be attached to a bag and the other had a leather cord.

"I charged them myself here in the delta. It's very strong and doesn't need recharging for some time. Please take this one for yourself and this pendant for Mr. Guthry." Madam Guthry reached into her purse to pay, and Tori shook her head.

"Lady Tori...."

"Think of it as if you are testing its effectiveness for me," Tori said with a cheerful smile.

"Let me know if it helps calm you and if it helps ease Mr. Guthry's headaches. Don't tell him I had a hand in it... I'm sure you know...." She trailed off and Madam Guthry frowned at the thought of her son. She nodded and accepted the crystal charms.

"I apologize for his rudeness to you, Lady Tori. Sometimes, I don't know what he's thinking." Tori let out a light laugh.

"Well, at this age, we're all a bit rebellious," Tori said with a slight grin. Tori brought her over to look at the button up shirts.

"I don't know if it's to your taste, but I happen to find the combination of these shirts with the hats from the haberdashery down the street very appealing. I set aside a few pairs for my brothers and father." Madam Guthry looked interested and thanked her before Tori slipped away. She rushed to take a quick snack before picking up Duchess Tetri and her small party for the tour.

Instructor Ignatius was also present, as the mines in the Tetri Duchy had some crystals they were looking for, and joined them on the boat tour.

"Aquamarine?" Duchess Tetri looked surprised as she sat on a cushioned bench on the sailboat. The wind was going through her hair, and she was sipping on some wine. The woman looked very comfortable from where she sat.

"We have been experimenting with them for irrigation purposes, as well. Are you interested?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Instructor Ignatius sat across from her, attentive and respectful, and trying to contain his excitement. Tori lifted her hand and munched on a cracker with cheese. Instructor Ignatius had personally asked to join the tour so he could ask about aquamarines for their fields. He assured her that the Tetri Duchy had the best aquamarines in the empire and that sourcing them domestically would be both cost-effective and a good connection with the duchy.

Tori had agreed, but asked that he dress more professionally. She'd only seen him in his teaching robes and the sloppy, neglected clothes he wore on the island. She'd sent him a set of clothes from Lions Gate, as well, as she was worried he didn't have other clothes. Apparently, she was right, and Instructor Ignatius appeared that day dressed in a button up shirt. She had no idea he could clean up so well.

He was a slim man, but his clothes fit him well and his shaggy blond hair was neat, combed back, and out of his eyes. Nothing was obscuring his face, and Tori didn't recognize him when they got on the boat. She asked her own instructor who he was. It was only when he spoke that she recognized his voice. Tori continued to eat crackers. I'm sorry I questioned how you got a girlfriend, Instructor Ignatius. She secretly apologized. He had a very soft and gentle face. She wouldn't exactly call him handsome.

Beautiful and frail seemed to fit better. She couldn't help but imagine him as one of those sickly young masters in dramas, confined on a bed by a window, looking outside longingly as he coughed into a handkerchief because he had consumption. Of course, in reality, Instructor Ignatius was perfectly healthy and very energetic, especially when it came to crystals.

"Lady Tori?" he asked. He shifted awkwardly, likely having noticed her staring at him.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" Tori blinked. I was so surprised by his beauty; I wasn't paying attention.

"What was the question?"

"Would you like to visit the Tetri Duchy this summer to exchange research on irrigation?" Duchess Tetri said with a light chuckle.

"We seem to be working towards the same goal. You can also inspect the quality of our crystals and we can work out an order if you are interested. I'm also interested in speaking to Lady Nordursin, as she is a specialist on farming techniques." Tori sat up straight. She was very interested. She hadn't planned on returning to Presidio that summer. In fact, she'd already sent out invitations to visit her over the summer to her little cousins in Moss Hill through Cousin Eili.

"Yes, I'm quite interested," Tori said with an affirmative nod.

"Is it possible for us to stay a few days?"

"Of course!" The Duchess lifted her hand and one of her assistants rushed forward.

"Begin preparing a schedule and lodgings for Lady Guevera, Lady Nordursin, and Mr. Ignatius, as well as additional members of their party," she said. She looked at Tori with a knowing nod.

"Guevera knights will be escorting you, I presume?" If it wasn't Guevera knights, it would be imperial knights, but Tori didn't say that. She nodded.

"Yes. Once I confirm the number of the party, I will reach out to your assistant." She opened her comcry to register the assistant's comcry, but Duchess Tetri leaned forward and opened her own. Her name appeared on Tori's comcry, surprising her a bit. She didn't expect to get the Duchess' direct contact information.

"Don't look surprised," Duchess Tetri laughed.

"Vanessa already bragged to me that she has your comcry registered. I can't be left behind you know!" Vanessa was Duchess Fekete. Tori nodded and chuckled.

"Then, I appreciate your efforts, Your Grace. That being said...." Tori leaned forward and smirked.

"Duchess Fekete and her family are staying overnight in our tents by the beach. They will also participate in tonight's late-night game and will leave after a full breakfast." Duchess Tetri raised a brow and looked interested.

"Is this invitation only, Lady Guevera?"

"Personal invitation only from my lips, as we have very limited room," Tori said.

"The Prime Minister and his wife will also be attending, as will Prince Emil and Princess Vivian." Duchess Tetri smiled with approval. She reached out and tapped the tip of Tori's nose affectionately.

"I like you more and more each time I see you," she said with a grin.

"All right, we will stay for the night!"

"I'll write out some orders to give to my people to arrange," Tori said, turning to all towards Ewan. As she stood up and walked to the side of the ship to get some papers from him to hand to some staff upon arrival, she vaguely heard the Duchess ask Instructor Ignatius.

"Tell me, is she really as the rumors say and attached to Prince Piers?" Instructor Ignatius stuttered.

"I... I don't know, Your Grace...."

"And Genevieve's boy... Axton. Is there any attachment to him?" Instructor Ignatius continued to sound confused. He legitimately did not know. That didn't stop Duchess Tetri.

"Hmm... my son will complete his time in the Anlar fleet next year. I'll make a note to introduce them."